John Wesley does pastoral work on St. Simons Island

7/6/2015

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS
DAVE HANSON

After four days travel by boat from Savannah to St. Simons Island, John Wesley took up ministry where his brother had left off. He visited from house to house. He discovered the best time for visiting his parishioners was right after lunch. The colonists would rise early, work hard, return home for a big lunch, then take a nap before returning to work in the afternoon. Just when they were about to take their nap after their big meal John Wesley would knock on their door.

“How is it with your soul?” he would ask. They were not very happy to see him.

He started the “Second Rise of Methodism.” The “First Rise of Methodism” began with the Holy Club at Oxford when a few serious minded students began to meet for prayer, Bible study, and good works. On St. Simons Island he gathered a few people together for a small group. It was a very small group. At first there were only two other people. The next week there were three. The following week there were five. It never grew much beyond that.

John found that he could not get along with the doctor’s wife, Beta Hawkins. That relationship came to a head when John asked her, “Why can’t we get along?” Her answer was, “It’s because of that letter!” The letter in question was one Charles had written to John about adultery on the island. The names of the people involved were written in Greek.

The letter had been lost and then found by Dr. Hawkins. “Who were those women your brother wrote about in that letter?” Beta demanded.